The Broken Bride
by Smart-n-Athletic
Summary: The day that was supposed to be the happiest of Judith's life quickly turns into a nightmare after she is abruptly left at the alter for her sister. At the beginning of what was supposed to be a chapter of bliss and love comes instead hurt and pain. But in all of this Judith finds herself being put into a new world where she finds what she needed from an unlikely source.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The sky was grey and the air was hot. I was a mess in white at the old man's bar. I took off my veil and drank my first shot of gin and thought back to the church: the perfect day for the imperfect wedding of the century.

The memory of all that happened in those unforgettable 5 seconds still replayed in my head like a tape with no STOP button.

"I don't" Jax said, clear as a bell. The priest heard. Eve heard. All heard.

But not me.

I saw his eyes begin to water but now I don't know if those were tears of sorrow or relief. How could he? What kind of man, no, what kind of human being does that! In front of our friends! If front of our family!

"What?" I said.

As the audience began to lightly rumble and one of the bridesmaids gasped, I just stood there staring back at him. What was I to do? Did I really just hear him say that? This wasn't possible!

I looked at him, the eyes of the love that I thought I knew. That I thought I loved and I saw them jump to the set of eyes behind me. That was like mine but not mine.

They were hers, my sister Eve's.

I think at some point I fell down out of shock.

After what felt like an eternity, I slowly pulled my hands from his and turned towards our guests who were both horrified and bewildered. Eve tried to reach for me and called out my name, Judith, but stopped when I held my hand up and gave her the look; the look that told her I knew what was going on between her and Jax, the look of a woman betrayed by her own sister, her twin none the less. Without making eye contact with our guests, I walked back down the aisle, out of the church, and headed to this musky watering hole; but not before the one slight outburst I allotted myself. As I walked out of the church, I couldn't help but notice the pristine Rolls Royce limousine sitting outside. My thoughts strayed to how he had put the security deposit down himself for that special treat. As I grabbed the metal signpost outside the church doors and hurled it with all my might into the passenger window, my thoughts strayed to how he likely wouldn't be getting that deposit back.

Back in the bar, I stared at my glass, I listened to the light sound of raindrops falling; a symphony of white noise to which I played a small complimentary role as my tears fell to the bar. The shot glass rolled lightly between my fingers as I glanced towards the bartender, signaling another.

I hated the way that bartender looked back at me. Was it my tears? Was it my once impeccable wedding dress now stained with patches of mud along the bottom from my trek to this dump from the church? Was it the way I downed those first four shots of gin? I've always considered myself a reasonable woman but right now I hated sympathy. I was too good for sympathy. I was the better twin! I was the athlete! I was the responsible one! I was the one who worked tirelessly through high school to be accepted to Yale while my sister slacked off and partied! I'm the one with the five-year plan and the career as a public defender in Jacksonville. What does she do? Bake cookies. Bake freaking cookies.

Our parents named us after women in the Bible; my namesake cut off a man's head and hers committed the first sin.

As I raised my arm to take my fifth shot, a hand grabs my wrist. The young police officer and his aged partner look concerned but I just glare at them.

"Can help…Officers?" I said through slurred speech.

"No ma'am. We're just here to see that you're ok," They said.

That just pissed me off.

"No I'm not. F…off," I said downing my fifth shot.

They ask me to come with them so they can take me home but I resist. Even though looking back, I knew it was the worst thing to do, I just wanted to sulk in my sorrow for a while but they would not let me stay in. As the young cop grabs my arm, I remember why I never drink gin on an empty stomach.

The last thing I remember, before waking up in a jail cell, is stumbling over towards the cop and allowing my stomach to unleash its fury over his crisp clean blue uniform.

Now I'm in that jail cell alone, hungover, and smelly.

"Enders, Judith!"

I heard my name being called from somewhere distant. I looked up from my cell and saw another police officer. She was screaming my name.

"Yeah…I'm here," I said stumbling to the bared wall.

"Your parents are here to bail you out," The officer said as she opened the door. She was a woman, heavy set with a large chest. She had a gold band on her hand. I'm sure she had a husband and nice children. Things I wouldn't have at the rate I was going.

" Thanks, oww…"

"Good luck. Oh and the officer you threw up on decided not to press charges against you but just don't do it again," She said.

"Oh don't worry, I don't plan on it,"

As I slowly walked down the police station, the images of the day replayed in my head. Maybe it was a dream. Then as I saw my mother and father in their matching black dress and tuxedo and I knew it wasn't.

"Hi mom. Hi dad,"

"Judith Elizabeth Grace Roberta Enders!" My mom screamed.

"Mom, a little less," I began.

"What? A little less louder, a little less embarrassing! How could you do that to me? To us?"

"To you?" I responded.

"I'm the one who got stood up in front of everyone for Eve,"

"Why don't we handle this at home? Tomorrow even," My dad interjected.

"It's been a really long day for all of us,"

"Fine but tomorrow we will discuss this. And you will apologize to everyone Judith Elizabeth," My mom said as she stormed out of the police station.

My dad looked at me with sympathy in his eyes and pulled out a ginger ale from behind his back and handed it to me.

"Thanks dad,"

The ride home was silent. Even the radio was off. I think the car could tell how tense and unideal the situation was. In the back were presents addressed to Jax and me. Big boxes, little boxes, envelopes, a few spheres here and there. Maybe they were salad tossers or paper lights or something. I tried to guess what they were in the car as I sipped on my ginger ale. Knowing my mother I'd have to write thank you cards for each of them and write down each gift for what it was in the morning. Fun, fun.

By the time we got back to my parents' house it was around 2 in the morning. My mom continued to go off ranting and raving about the day in her and my dad's room while I slowly made the trek back up to mine. My parents had kept it the same as the day I left for Yale for undergrad time. Posters of Michael Jackson and Usher adorned the walls along with a copy of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

When I finally got out of the dress, I looked at it. $5,000 puffy white mushroom that was dirt covered, vomit splashed, tear stained, reminder of the day the day that was supposed to be the happiest of my life but instead it was the saddest.

I peed on it, threw it in Eve's room, shut my room door and then when to bed. That made me feel a little bit happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day, I woke up to the sound of grass being cut. My parents neighbor, Mr. Klundershmit always cut his grass on Sunday's before he went to church. He was a nice guy. His wife had left him years ago for the guy who cut their grass before but now he did it. Maybe he thought that if he cut the grass, she'd come back.

I got up from my bed and put on a pair of shorts and a shirt and decided to go for a walk. It was early and not too many people were out in the neighborhood. Eventually, I ended up at the Getty 8 blocks away from my house. I bought myself a bag of chocolate covered mini doughnuts and started eating them on the way back home. I was starving from last night's drinking binge and hungry for comfort after my betrayal yesterday.

"Judith!" A voice said.

I turned around to see a familiar face.

"Catherine, hey how are you," I said between bites of doughnut.

"I'm doing fine." She said.

We'd been friends since middle school when we were paired up on a project about alligators. She really got into the animals and I got into the argument that we should save them from condo developers.

It was nice.

"I heard about what happened yesterday," She said.

"Oh you weren't there to see it?"

"No I got called away to an emergency birthing situation up in Ft. Lauderdale so I caught the late flight down here to Melbourne."

"Oh," I said.

"That's good though. You missed um…"

I reached the bag of doughnuts and stuffed one down my throat.

"Qte de orasion," I said through bites.

"I'm sure I did." She said.

"Look I know this is a difficult time for you but you should come by my parents' house tonight,"

"Why?" I said after taking a large gulp.

"Well, I'm house sitting for my parents. They're off on another cruise for a month so it's just me and Rick. He'd love to meet you,"

"Who?"

"Rick my husband. You'll love him. We eloped over Christmas so now I'm bringing him here to meet people. He's a Petroleum Engineer from Galveston but you'd never know it from his accent,"

"Huh, I see, well I don't know," I responded.

"And your mother won't be there," She said adding to her previously made points.

"I'll be there,"

For the rest of the day I did everything I could to ensure that I would be able to leave the next day with some form of dignity. Even though I was in my 30's, I was still eager to please my parents, at least sober. I inventoried presents and wrote thank you cards for the dozens of toasters, blenders, mixers, towels, and various pieces of South Hampton by Charlotte Moss China that I had received.

"Make sure you pack them in newspaper," My Mom said I loaded up my car with my Dad. We rolled our eyes as we put the already newspaper and bubble wrapped China in the back of my grey Ford Escape.

"Sure you don't want me to kill him?" My Dad asked.

"Dad I can't have you go to jail. You're too old and I've already done that. It's not a very nice place," I said laughing.

By the time dinner came around, I was ready to leave and head over to Catherine's house to cool off and relax and get away from my mom. I had showered and changed into a flowery yellow sundress and pulled my black hair into a pony tail. I forced a smile on my face to look presentable when really I wanted to buy another bag of doughnuts and continue to stuff my face with them.

I grabbed a bottle of Sparkling Cider that one of my college friends sent me as a joke wedding present and put it in my purse. . It wasn't going to be drunken by me and my husband or would have been husband, but at least it be drunken by a husband and wife.

"Where are you going? I thought you were going to eat with us?" My mom asked.

"I'm going down the street to Catherine's," I said.

"What are you 12 again?"

"No mom, I'm 32 and she invited me over this morning."

"This morning?" My mom asked.

"How did she find you this morning,"

No matter how old I got it seemed like my mom never got the hint that I wasn't 12 anymore. Quizzing me on where I went, who I was with. She was a flight attendant and missed out on me and Eve growing up. And was now semi-trying to make up for it. My dad saw everything: first tooth falling, first crush, first dance, ect. Once she retired, she realized that she had missed me and Eve growing up. Eve stayed in town so they could easily relive to days long past, me not so much. Yale was a plane ride away and Jacksonville wasn't around the block.

"Let her go already." Dad interjected.

"She needs a little break before she goes back up north to Jacksonville. Let her go hang out with her friends,"

"Thanks dad," I said.

"Good night,"

I quickly grabbed my keys from the front hall, ran out of the house, started my car, and drove to Catherine's.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As I drove up to the house, I saw more houses similar to my parents and my parents. The two story brick colonial home was similar to the houses that surrounded it in form but in fashion it was the only one that had neatly trimmed grass. The recession had hit Florida hard and in the years since, things hadn't gotten any better. The signs of unkempt grass showed this as they hadn't been lived in recently and were probably now bank owned.

"No one is safe from anything these days," I said to myself.

Going to Yale cost a pretty penny. Partial scholarships didn't cover all of a quarter million dollar education. For undergrad, I worked every summer for an attorney in Melbourne when I came home then at school I became Kickboxing and Athletic Trainer certified. Making money off of 'training' NY Housewives paid the rent for a New Haven Apartment and the bat that went with it once on campus housing got too pricy. Like I said, nowhere was safe. Not even New Haven was safe from the occasional burglar or two.

The job in Jacksonville as a State's Attorney was a blessing in disguise. Initially, I worked on Wall Street but that the intense competition for a spot, well…it didn't work out for me. As long as I agreed to work for the state of Florida, which needed lawyers, for 10 years, my loans would be paid off.

As I pulled up to Catherine's parent's house, I saw that it was the only one in the neighborhood who had its lights on. The grass was cut in some, others not so much.

"Here goes nothing," I said hopping out of my car, wine and purse in tow.

I walked up the grey cement pathway to where to the house and rung the doorbell. I heard some footsteps from behind the door and a click.

"You must be Judith," The man who opened the door said. He was tall, had dark hair and a great smile. He had in his hand a glass of wine that was half empty. I guess I brought the refill.

"I brought sparkling cider" I said raising the bottle to him.

"More wine! Nice. Thanks so much," He said taking hold of the bottle.

"Not exactly," I added.

"Rick, let her in already. Don't let the mosquitoes in," Catherine yelled from inside the house.

"Oh yes, yes come in come in." Rick said inviting me in.

I entered the through the door and into the house. It hadn't changed too much from what I remembered. The living room still had a series of black leather couches but the big screen TV that had once been there had been replaced by a flat screen. And there were less photos of Catherine growing up on the walls and instead there were photos of her on wildlife veterinary calls and her elopement photos from the Christmas before.

"Just take a seat on the couch," Judith said from behind the counter. She was cooking something that smelled good. I looked over and three big T-Bone steaks were sizzling on the griddle, steam was rising from a pot of white fluffy mashed potatoes, and green, yell, and red peppers adorned the bottom of a pan. Scents of mushrooms and steak filled my nose. It smelled succulent and appetizing.

I would definitely be making up for not eating dinner the night before.

"Ok,"

I sat on the couch and checked my phone to text my mother and tell her that I had arrived at Catherine's parent's house safely.

"So Judith," Rick said as he sat down next to me.

"Catherine tells me that you're an attorney,"

"Yes I am indeed I am,"

I saw that his eyes were beginning to wander a bit from my eyes to my chest. My dress wasn't too low cut but it did show off my girls a little bit. He seemed to be interested in them, even though his wife was about 50 yards away.

Was anyone safe?

Was anything sacred anymore? The world was scary enough on the outside but being violated in your own home, that was just crazy. Were all guys from Texas like this? I mean Bush did go to Yale and he gave us a speech about business that I went to but I had so much trouble with his accent then I didn't understand it. Rick though, he doesn't have an accent. Catherine was right about that but I'm not sure about his wandering eyes though. What does he want though? Cheating on his wife 6 months in, way to go she gets ready to divorce you, I'll take you to the cleaners.

"Dinner is ready!" Judith said from the kitchen.

"Oh good," I said bolting up from the couth to the kitchen breaking my mental plans on divorce settlements.  
"Let's eat,"

I made a quick dash over to the dinner table where Judith had placed three plates of steak, mashed potatoes, and multicolored peppers with glasses of wine to each.

"Wow this looks divine Catherine," I said as I sat down.

"Thank you," She said as she and Rick took their seats. He held her hand as she sat down and it was quite romantic. Maybe he didn't mean to eye my chest earlier.

Or maybe he did.

We began eating. Everything tasted as good as it smelled when we came in the door. Even the wine tasted good. I thought it wasn't wine at first.

"Is this the cider that I brought you guys?" I asked.

"No this is something we brought with us from my last call in Ft. Lauderdale. The guy who's horse I helped give birth is a wine collector. This is a 2002 bottle of Dalla Valle." Catherine explained.

"Whatever this is it, really good. It just adds and extra kicks of like natural herbs. It really brings out the flavor of the meat and the peppers and potatoes."

I devoured my plate. After 2 days, I guess I was hungry. Between unpacking presents, packing my car, and drinking, the only thing I had in my stomach was a pile of doughnuts that clearly were gone from the morning.

I looked up and the two eaten only half of theirs.

"I'm sorry I'm such a pig,"

"No you're fine Judith," Catherine said.

"Yeah it means you have a hearty appetite for desert," Rick added.

"Desert?" I asked.

Catherine jabbed at Rick with her elbow.

"Not yet," She whispered.

The two continued to eat and I conversed with them out attorney life and Catherine's wildlife adventures and Rick's experiences out on the oil rigs. Their lives sound so much more exciting than my own. Rescuing alligators, finding new drilling sites out in the Gulf, going over real estate claims sounded less than appealing after hearing their stories. The only benefit my job had was that it was structured, safe, and secure. Not wild, dangerous, and fun.

After we all finished, Catherine put the dishes in the dishwasher and we all sat together on one of the three black couches. Catherine and Rick curled up next to each other on one side while I sat on the other feeling like the third deflated wheel.

"You guys were so nice to have me over tonight. I really appreciate it," I said.

"No problem," Catherine said. "We've enjoyed having you over,"

"And we hope you'll stay," Rick said.

"What?" I said startled.

"He meant for desert," Catherine added.

"Oh ok," I said relieved. "So what are we having?"

After a moment of silence, I looked over at Catherine and Rick, they looked at each other and they looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Well…we were going to ask if you…" Catherine began.

She was drawing out her words and I wasn't sure what she was going to say and I was starting to take another sip of wine when Rick blurted out the truth.

"Basically, we were going to ask you if you wanted to join us for sex,"

I spit the wine back out in the glass. I couldn't believe what I just heard.

"What?!"

"I told you not to just hit her over the head with it," Catherine said to Rick.

Sex with Catherine and Rick. Catherine and Rick. No way.

I knew it was my time to go then.

"Well this has been fun but I umm…I really need to be able to do things. I'm sorry but thank you."

I bolted for the door and opened it. Rain was pouring down. I couldn't believe it.

"Judith come back in here. You can't go out there like that,"

I started to step out but a blast of lightening threw me back in.

I clearly wasn't going anywhere.

"We're sorry. We just hoped to make you feel better," Catherine said.

"Feel better?!" I said.

"This would not make me feel better to have sex with a guy I barely know and a girl. This is insane, Ludacris. No, no, no!"

I was so angry and appalled at the idea of a threesome but then Catherine looked at me with sad puppy eyes and for the first time in two days I felt remorse and sadness.

"I'm sorry,"

I ran over to her and pulled her close in a tight hug.

"You were only trying to make me feel better and I appreciate the thought. Granted it is unconventional but sweet,"

She released herself from the hug and held her hands in mine.

"Let's go sit down and have a talk,"

She lead me over to the couch but not before grabbing the bottle of sparkling cider that I brought off of the counter.

"Where did Rick go?" I asked.

"I sent him upstairs to watch the game. The Jaguars are playing the Texans so he won't be coming down for a while. It's just us girls,"

"Oh alright,"

"So…how do you…feel about"

"I'm not really in the mood for anything right now," I said interrupting.

"Oh, I figured that,"

"It's not you. I promise, this is just," I stopped mid sentence and started to tear up. I saw a photo on the wall of a snow covered mountain lodge and then everything kind of hit me.

I wasn't safe wherever I went.

I was still in my hometown by the Atlantic Ocean on what was supposed to be my honeymoon night in Lake Tahoe.

My eyes felt hot and flustered, my head was light, and my heart was heavy. I couldn't take it anymore. No amount of wine, gin, or even Tequila was going

"Why…why…did this happen?" I said sobbingly.

I buried myself in myself into the couch.

"It's ok," I heard Catherine say.

"Think of it as your prom night again,"

"Oh no! Not that again," I said come up to her face.

"Eve stole my date then too!"

"That was the worst no second worst night of my life,"

"Do you want a tissue?"

"Yes please,"

Catherine reached behind the couch and pulled out a box of Kleenex. I took one and wiped my eyes with it.

"I know I'm not the nicest person in the world but, did I really deserve this? I mean… come on Catherine. Tell me the truth,"

Catherine took a breath and took me by the hand.

"Ice cream, we need ice cream,"

"What?" I said.

"Ice cream. Chocolate no Neapolitan, that's your favorite right. I'll send Rick out to get some. Rick! Come down here please,"

"No, no stop," I said.

"Why?"

"I just...This is a lot ok. Like a lot a lot, I can't. I can't handle it right now,"

"I don't like that you don't trust yourself," Catherine said interjecting.

"What?"

"I don't like that you live in fear constantly," She said again.

"Look Jax was an idiot for leaving you up there but you're be the biggest fool in the world if you don't start living. You're afraid of everything. Finances, marriage, shopping lists. You've got to stop and just do things. Be brave for once. Not angry brave but brave, brave. You're strong,"

"Strong?" I said.

"Yes, you're very, very strong," Catherine said.

"Ha, ok. I'm strong but…that doesn't mean I'm brave and,"

Catherine grabbed my face and pulled me in for a kiss. An unexpected one but it was not terrible. Her lips tasted sweet. Not like candy sweet but like desire sweet. Like she was desperate to please me, to want me.

"Woah," I said when she let go of my face and my lips. I stared out for a bit while she panicked and rambled. This was the first time I felt good in days. Being dumped on my wedding day was a sting that was not going to go away easily if ever but right then and there I wanted to and she made it.

"Come on," I said as I grabbed her hand.

"Let's go,"

I don't know why I did it; why I ultimately agreed to "play" with Rick and Catherine.

This isn't who I am, or is it?

Though I initially feigned disgust when Rick mentioned me joining him and Catherine for sex, there was a part of me that was genuinely intrigued, and genuinely aroused, by the proposal. I'd like to think I simply had one too many glasses of wine or Catherine's kiss that started me down this path but, in reality, I think I just stopped giving a shit about everything. She made me feel good and I just wanted the pain to stop. I wanted to be brave. What Catherine said stuck with me. I was afraid and I wasn't living. I needed to stop, stop being afraid and terrified.

Just feel, exist. Just live.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

At some point, Catherine and I made it up to her and Rick's bedroom. When we entered the room, Rick was on the bed watching the game but he quickly turned that off when we got into the room. As I fell onto the bed, everything hit me as my clothes flew off the clothes.

I was both nervous and excited as I lay there waiting for the fun to begin. It was like the feeling of being on a roller coaster for the first time; going slowly uphill and watching your cart creep towards the apex of a huge drop. The smell of lavender from their scented candles was in the air and I could hear classical guitar music lightly playing in the background.

All my other thoughts; my failed wedding, the betrayals in my life, my anger, my humiliation, all of it suddenly drifted away as the lights went out.

Suddenly, I felt what must have been Rick's hand on my arm, above my head. As it slowly moved down my side, I arched my back, ever so slightly, to give him access. Reading my body, he promptly slipped his hand under my back and unfastened my bra. Almost as soon as it was removed, I felt Rick's other hand reach over and firmly cup my left breast as the warm wet feeling of his suckling lips enveloped my right nipple. As his teeth began to lightly graze my nipple and his groping intensified, my breaths became heavier and I felt a rush of euphoria surge towards my loins.

Now all I knew were the touch of Rick's hand and lips on my breasts and the intense feelings his touch generated inside of me. As I let out some light moans, I began to reflexively move my hips in synch with my breaths.

Catherine must have taken my movements as her cue. Suddenly, I felt her soft delicate hands on my shins. Her hands moved up my legs and to my hips where her petite fingers wrapped around the sides of my panties. As my hips lifted off the sheets, I felt her slip my panties down to my ankles. When she finally pulled my panties over my feet, I opened up my legs; inviting her to attend to my moist excited pussy. I had gotten a full Brazilian wax only days earlier, in anticipation of my wedding night. The process was mildly painful but the smooth feeling of my hairless pussy made me more sensitive to touch and in a constant state of arousal. Thankfully, it now would not be for naught.

By now I was very relaxed as Rick continued to play with my breasts and nibble on my hard sensitive nipples. I could sense Catherine moving back up between my legs and I lightly tensed in anticipation of her touching me. I heard a slight giggle before, finally, she firmly planted her lips on my smooth pussy; her tongue moving expertly around up my vagina and around my clit.

"Oh yes," I let out as I exhaled; the slight tension from the anticipation suddenly released. "Oh God, yes!"

After a few minutes, Rick's lips moved up my breast and to my neck. The feeling of his lips and tongue moving across my skin sent another surge of energy down my body. Steadily, his lips made their way to mine.

My God he was such a good kisser! He knew just how much pressure to apply to my lips to be a tease and used just enough tongue as he slipped it into my mouth to wrestle my own. I found myself reflexively trying to pull my arms down to get ahold of Rick but the restraints kept them in place above my head. My clear inability to physically control the situation made me feel both helpless and euphoric. I felt safe with Rick and Catherine, no doubt, and there was something about giving them seemingly complete control over my body that raised my arousal to a level I had never before experienced.

I felt Catherine lean her face back into my pussy, her tongue playing around my clit again. This time, however, her hand rode up my thigh and, gently, she teased the edges of my pussy before slipping two fingers into me.

"Oh my God, yes!" I exclaimed, voice slightly muffled by the large cock in my mouth, as her fingers slid inside me.

Catherine slid her fingers in and out of my pussy a few times before curling them upwards in a clear play for my g-spot. As she pull her hand back slightly, her fingers readily fell into place.

I quickly turned my head away from Rick's cock and blurted out, "Mmmm, oh yes, right there! Right there!"

Hearing my confirmation, Catherine kept her fingers in place and began using a tapping motion on my g-spot while now applying a little more pressure on my clit as she repeatedly rubbed her tongue across it. With each tap and lick, I felt myself getting closer to pure ecstasy! Rick's hand was firmly behind my head now as he gradually introduced more of his enormous cock into my mouth. His moans of pleasure were getting louder and I could feel his cock throbbing as it slid across my lips.

I took in a few shallow breathes as sweat began to run down my brow. "Oh God Catherine! Oh my God, Catherine!"

Turning my head back to Rick, I reached my mouth out for his cock, once again, and he complicity placed it back between my lips. I wasn't holding back any longer. I was going to make him feel just as good as I felt. I sucked his cock as if I couldn't get enough of it; concentrating my tongue on the nerves just below the bottom of his tip. His panting and moans of pleasure drove me to suck even faster. He was so close! I couldn't believe how turned on I was! Catherine was still between my legs working her magic and I could feel myself coming closer to climax yet again as Rick suddenly tensed; his moaning and grunting coming to a halt for a split second before releasing a primal scream.

"Yes, yes yes!" I screamed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

We kept going until the early morning hours. Eventually we wore each other out and they fell asleep around me. I was smooched between the two in a protective sandwich of people who cared about me. One I knew for years, one I knew for a night.

I sat there thinking back to how things happened. How I got here? How I got here?

The day I met Jax, he was glowed in front of me. Literally, but that was only because he was standing behind a swarm of paparazzi.

I was coming out of court for a civil suit where my client was accused of laundering money from the IRS via an off shore account in the Caribbean. We had just finished settled. My client had pleaded guilty to taking $4.5 million dollars from the state of Florida and the US Government over nearly two decades. He would have gotten away with it, except he had a small cocaine habit that he hadn't been paying on.

That cocaine habit was provided to him by a deal who worked for another dealer, who worked for another dealer who ultimately lead me to seeing Jax in his suit being those flashing lights. The fact that my client hadn't been paying on his cocaine habit had led him to being behind bars and in court that day. But while in prison, my client revealed where he got his cocaine from which lead to an international man hunt which ultimately lead Jax into court that day and us.

He looked painfully uncomfortable but smart. He didn't speak to the camera but had a grin on his face. When I passed him, we tapped shoulders and I looked at him for an instant to apologize. I was about to when he pulled down his black tinted Ray Bands and winked at me.

I was acted like a schoolgirl and giggled and blushed. Not one of my greatest moments but all I had known was male rejection mostly to that point.

Growing up I had been the 'second fiddle twin'. I had braces, glasses, a flat chest, and bad acne. Eve didn't have those things. She was well developed, had good straight teeth, and a boyfriend for every month. During football games, I was on the sidelines in the pep band playing clarinet while Eve was shaking all she had on the cheerleading quad. It wasn't out of place for a few football players to run into the sidelines. Some said they tripped but I know some just wanted to see up her skirt. She always out did me when it came to men. I guess that made up for the fact that I always out did her in academics. When I got into Yale I was the toast of the house. Eve didn't get into Florida State like she wanted to and she sulked for weeks about it.

That was until prom came.

I was all ready to go in my long royal blue dress with a matching shawl. I was spraying another layer of hairspray on my head when I heard the car horn beep. Eve said she wasn't going to go but I guess she changed her mind. I raced to the door to see her waving outside of the roof of the limo with my date, Wilbur King, a golfer and trombone player with a scholarship to Tulane making out down the street.

I cried like a baby on the floor that night. My Mom said get over it, my Dad brought me ice cream and gummy worms. Apparently he found Wilbur later and chased him on the golf course with his shot gun.

That made me laugh.

Eve never apologized, even after I confronted her about it. I felt like I wasn't competitive with her. Like no matter what I did, she would always take men from me.

Even my own fiancé.

48 hours ago, I had been in the church I was to be married in for my rehearsal dinner. I should have known something was up even then.

Jax was sweating profusely. His long black hair was glued to his head and his hands were shaking like leaves. We were standing at the alter, not in our fancy clothes but just in sweats and T-Shirts, much to my mothers dismay. She lamented about how we should have been in khaki's and polo shirts because it would have been more proper for the guests except the only guests at the rehearsal dinner were her, Dad, Jax's parents, three of my cousins from my Mom's side of the family who's purses combined cost more than my rent, and Eve, who was supposed to be my Maid of Honor but was running late, as usual. I knew I wasted $20 dollars on the watch I got her last Christmas.

"Are you ok?" I asked him.

He shrugged it off as he always did with any question I asked him and said, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. It's just hot in here," He said as he opened up his sweatshirt from the neck. He had been acting very strange that whole week. On Monday, he took a plane back to Jacksonville for a sudden emergency hearing, on Tuesday, he wouldn't tell me where we were supposed to go to for our honeymoon, and on Wednesday we had gotten into a huge argument regarding the marriage license. He wanted to wait and sign it after we were actually married in person on Friday. He said that it was something that his family did, became married in sight of the court and the Church on the same day.

I was thinking about this as I held his quivering hands.

Did he really want to marry me?

Did he really love me?

Then she came in: my sister Eve. Only an hour and a half late.

"Sorry guys," She said as she came in. She had on large white sunglasses and a bright turquoise and gold dress that barely came below her waist. She strutted herself up to the front where Jax and I were standing on she wore platform sandals.

"Am I supposed to stand here?" She asked Jax cutely in the face bumping me to the side breaking us apart and putting her hands in Jax's where mine were.

"Umm," Jax began.

"Oh Jax," Eve began. "Your hands are so cold. Here let me warm them up," She said as she began rubbing her hands over his.

"No you don't!" I said pushing her out of the way and putting myself back into my then fiancé's hands. "You stand behind me, Eve," I said.

"Alright, alright," Eve said as she slunk back behind me.

The rest of the rehearsal seemed to go well but then again maybe I was just shallow. Maybe I was naive. Maybe I should have done more. Checked more. Followed him to Jacksonville if he even went there. Just been more attached.

There were too many maybe.

They were over.

The past was the past.

The present was now.

I could not change who Eve was and I could not change who Jax was.

However, I as a person had changed. I was sharing a bed with 2 people. One was a legit stranger, the other a long time friend who I hadn't seen in forever.

How did this happen? How did? Did I think? Maybe that's what it was?

Maybe I thought too much all the time and maybe this time for once, I just went with the flow. It felt nice to do that: to have control of my own life and do what I wanted, unafraid and uncaring of fitting a certain mold. It felt…good.

It was the first time in a long time that I felt safe and secure in both body and mind. Like I had done something both positive as well as exciting.

A threesome again…eh…not so much. Dating again, yes definitely.

And as for men and marriage, well maybe next time, I'll just marry the guy instead of bringing him back to Florida. Maybe Rick and Catherine had it right with eloping and not sending out announcements. It wasn't anyone's business except for the people involved.

But the night was over and the sun was beginning to rise in the east and shine through the windows.

I slid out of bed and grabbed my clothes from the floor and snuck into the power room downstairs. As I put on my clothes, I looked at my face and hair. Both messes but instead of pulling myself down, I smiled.

I was going to be ok in Jacksonville. I would protect myself and there were people around who wanted to keep me safe and remind me of my own abilities.

Before I left I saw the white board on the kitchen. I looked upstairs to where my friends were sleeping and wrote them a note on the board before quietly leaving outside the front.

 _Thanks for a great wedding present. Catherine, you were right about Rick. He's not your typical Texan at all. Rick, you're a nice guy and defy all of my stereotypes and preconceived notions. Thanks for keeping me safe and for giving me comfort and for teaching me that nothing is guaranteed except for the here and now. Thanks-Judith_


End file.
